The Baby Outback America Can’t Have
While it’s good that Subaru’s gamble to turn the Outback into a more SUV-like vehicle is paying off, that meant there’s no more high-riding wagon in the North American lineup. If anything, the original Legacy-based Outbacks were instrumental to the company’s success in North America, so it’s a little sad that the model had somewhat strayed from its roots.
Meanwhile, in Japan, Subaru has a model called the Levorg Layback. While based on the Impreza, it’s effectively the spiritual successor of the original Outback by being, you guessed it, a high-riding wagon. It was recently updated, adding a much-needed hybrid model.
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A Reasonably-Priced Tall Wagon
After premiering the car a few months ago, Subaru Japan has released the full specs and pricing for the updated Levorg Layback hybrid. The lineup is simple, with just two on offer, namely the Premium Black and Premium. Oddly enough, the ‘black edition’ model is actually the entry model.
The price? It’s well below $30,000. Granted, cars in Japan are comparatively more affordable than in the U.S, but it goes to show that you can still get a lot of car for the money elsewhere. Prices for the Levorg Layback hybrid start at ¥4,246,000 for the Premium Black, while the Premium is ¥4,521,000. Convert that to U.S dollars, and that’s just around $26,000 to $28,000.
The non-hybrid is even cheaper, starting at ¥4,059,000 for the Limited EX and tops out at ¥4,246,000 for the Black Selection. That’s a hair under $25,000 to just over $26,000.
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It’s Well-Equipped, Too
The Levorg Layback’s equipment list isn’t too shabby, either. Of course, it already comes with EyeSight tech, and it’s the full suite, not just the basics. Heated seats are also standard, as is a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power tailgate, power seats with memory, and connected services.
Powering this wagon on stilts is a 2.5-liter boxer mated to a single motor and a compact battery. It’s the same arrangement as the Forester hybrid, meaning 194 hp combined, while the electric motor is good for 199 lb-ft. Meanwhile, the non-hybrid version uses a 1.8-liter turbo making 174 hp and 221 lb-ft. Of course, all-wheel drive is standard.
It would be nice if this model were sold in the U.S, but ultimately, it’ll be difficult to position it. In Japan, it fills in the gap between the Crosstrek and Forester, although its base price is higher than that of the latter. The hybrid does come out cheaper than the electrified Forester, but if it were offered in America, it might be priced too close to other models in the lineup. That said, Japan still has a lot of love for wagons, which is probably why it’s the only market that has it.
Subaru
Subaru
